Shaper for trousers



NOV' 6, 1951 J. MASTRILLO 4 2,573,979

SRAPER RoR TROUSERS Filed Oct. l5, 1947 I N VEN TOR.

Jawa/v MadriZ/0 A'ITD RN EYE Patented Nov, 6, 1951.

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ED .STATES PATENT i FfF ICE SHAPER .FOR TROUSERS v J osep'hMas'trillD, Trenton, N. J.

Application October 15, 1947, SerialNo. 779;979

1 Claim.

This invention relates to trouser stretching and shaping frames wherein the ysides of the frame are formed of substantially U-shaped members with the ends overlapping and clamped together by latches to hold the sides outward in creases of the trousers, and in particular the invention relates to wedge acting clamping latches wherein the weight of the garment increases the clamping action.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a latch for trouser Shaper frames that holds the sides of the frame outward in which the gripping action of the latch is increased by the weight of the garmenton the frame.

Various devices have been employed for holding the side members of trouser Shapers outward but the force resulting from the drying action and shrinkage of the material causes slippage in the holding devices and the trousers lose the desired shape. To obtain the best results the frame must remain rigid and to accomplish this the overlapping ends must be positively clamped together. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates latching elements for Securing the overlapping ends of trouser shaper frames together with a wedge action and in which the holding force increases as the load increases from the weight of the garment.

The object of this invention is to provide means for forming a trouser Shaper frame and holding latches therefor wherein the sides of the frame may be forced outward and positively locked in the outward positions by the latches and in which the weight of the garment tightens the grip of the latches.

Another object of the invention is to provide clamping latches for holding the ends of trouser shaped frames that operate to increase the holding action without thumb screws or other manually actuated instrumentalities.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clamping latch for trouser Shaper frames that includes a simple combination of pivotally connected levers whereby it is of a simple and economical construction.

With the foregoing and other objects and advantages in view the invention consists of the certain new and useful combination, construction, and arrangement of parts, aS will be hereinafter more fully described, set forth in the claim appended hereto, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a trouser Shaper frame showing the improved latches on the opposite ends thereof.

Figure 2 is a detail showing one of the latches with parts of the frame broken away.

Figure 3 is a section through part of the latch and frame taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1, with part broken away.

Figure 4 is a cross section through the frame on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts the trouser Shaper latch of this invention includes a U-Shape clamp I0, a similarly shaped clip II, and a lever I2 one end of which is pivotally attached to the clip by a pin I3 and the other pivotally mounted between the open ends of the clamp II) by a pin I4. The pivotally mounting pin I4 is spaced from the end of the lever and the projecting end of the lever is Shaped to form a wedge I5 that iS forced in between overlapping ends I6 and I1 at one end of the frame and I6 and I'I' at the opposite end. The ends of theV frame are connected by side bars I8 and I9 and the side bars and ends are triangular shape in cross section as illustrated in Figure 4 with relatively sharp edges 20 extending outward and with the side Surfaces provided with grooves 2l and 22 as shown. The tips 23 of the ends of the frames are flared outwardly as shown in Figure 2 to prevent the ends sliding out of the clamps IIJ, and the levers I2 areoiset as shown at the point 24 in Figure 2 so that the line of force is directly in the center between the ends of the frames.

In use ythe trousers are placed on the frames and the side bars are forced outward to correspond with the creases of the leg sections of the trousers and .then the clips II are pulled outward so that the wedegs are forced in between the ends of the frames as shown in Figures 2 and 3, and with the frame supported by the clips the weight of the garment will force the wedges further into the Space between the ends so that the clamping action will be increased and the side bars of the frames will be positively held apart in the desired positions. The latches may then be moved inward against the ends of the frame to release the side bars when it is desired to remove the Shaper frame from the garment.

It will be understood that modifications may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the said end sections in overlapping relation and with the end sections of one frame in contact with the end sections of the other frame throughout the lengths of said end sections, said frames formed with bars wedge shaped in cross section and having longitudinally disposed grooves in both of the sides thereof, said end sections of the frames being connected with side sections and said side sections being being spaced further apart at one end of the shaper than at the other, spaced U-shaped clamps extended around the said end sections with a clamp spaced from each end of each end section, levers having cam surfaces on the ends pivotally mounted in said clamps and positioned with the cam surfaces extended between the end sections of the frames 4 whereby said cam surfaces coact with the wedge shaped end sections to urge the parts in gripping relation when the opposite ends of said levers are drawn away from the said end sections, and clips pivotally mounted on the outer ends of the said levers.

JOSEPH MASTRILLO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Numher Name Date 15 2,400,236 Kruse May 19, 1946 2,451,503 Mastrillo Oct. 19, 1948 

